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Does Aikido teach how to defend yourself in tight quarters like an elevator?

Depends on your version Aikido - go back to the Daitoryu roots of Aikido and just use small techniques and drop Uke instead of throwing; I know a handful of techniques that would work very well within the confines of even the smallest elevators.

No, I was talking about a no rules situation. You are simply just lucky your attacker was worried more about his nuts and couldn't keep his cool. A trained attacker would of kept his cool and choked you unconscious while defending his groin (which is fairly easy to do if you give it a shot). But luck is as good as technique in my book.

I have people try to test this stuff from time to time. It never ends how they expect and it really is disheartening for me.

A trained attacker would have choked from the rear but before doing so would unbalance one from behind before applying the choke as I have found to be effective on many occasions..... taking balance disables the victim from gaining any real purchase if executed by taking the head backwards and slipping into a rear neck choke swiftly...... In the case I encountered the head chancery was applied from their right side which facilitated easy access, for me, to their groin area followed up with what we call gyaku gamae/gedan ate which can facilitate easy dumping flat on their back with quite an audible thump when hitting the deck (concrete pavement /sidewalk) that hard!!..... no problem for a reasonably skilled martial artist...... not forgetting there was two assailants, required quick thinking and of course a little luck on my part...... same as for most.... given most nasty situations..... moral of the story is try and avoid getting grabbed into a neck or head lock!! Not as easy as it sounds when you are getting someone's change for them!! ya can't always tell unless you are telepathic!!
Take Care

A trained attacker would have choked from the rear but before doing so would unbalance one from behind before applying the choke as I have found to be effective on many occasions..... taking balance disables the victim from gaining any real purchase if executed by taking the head backwards and slipping into a rear neck choke swiftly...... In the case I encountered the head chancery was applied from their right side which facilitated easy access, for me, to their groin area followed up with what we call gyaku gamae/gedan ate which can facilitate easy dumping flat on their back with quite an audible thump when hitting the deck (concrete pavement /sidewalk) that hard!!..... no problem for a reasonably skilled martial artist...... not forgetting there was two assailants, required quick thinking and of course a little luck on my part...... same as for most.... given most nasty situations..... moral of the story is try and avoid getting grabbed into a neck or head lock!! Not as easy as it sounds when you are getting someone's change for them!! ya can't always tell unless you are telepathic!!
Take Care

Tony

Ahh here is where we had our communication lines crossed. I was talking about chokes, you are talking about side headlocks. Yea, no reasonable trained attacker will do a side headlock. It's a pointless and vulnerable position. I was talking about either a choke from head on (the guillotine choke). In that position, while you have full access to the groin it doesn't do you any good because in a second or two it's all over for you anways.

Ahh here is where we had our communication lines crossed. I was talking about chokes, you are talking about side headlocks. Yea, no reasonable trained attacker will do a side headlock. It's a pointless and vulnerable position. I was talking about either a choke from head on (the guillotine choke). In that position, while you have full access to the groin it doesn't do you any good because in a second or two it's all over for you anways.

Well Don he was using my head as a punch ball so it takes willpower not to go down as most would from this type of scenario.... but then again my head is used to punishment from my boxing days which sadly are over for me at 55 yrs..... think he was quite shocked that an older feller dumped him so easily on his butt........ as his buddy did a runner!!! Thought I was easy pickings you see......